The Darkness - Jason Pinter [37]
"Jesus," Paulina said. "A hundred and ninety-six
people have access to photos of you in a bikini."
"You want to judge me, Mom? I've heard some stories
about you."
"This isn't about me. Somebody used one of these
photos. Is there any way to see who's accessed the set?
Or who's printed them out?"
Abigail shook her head. "Nope. Privacy issues."
"Privacy my ass. Listen, Abby, I need you to print out
a list of all your friends on this thing, anyone who has
access to those photos."
"No way, Mom. Other people have privacy, too."
"Trust me, these other people would prefer this than
the alternative."
Abigail looked her mother in the eye, huffed and said,
"Okay. Fine. But nobody else sees them besides you."
"You have my word. And if these 'friends' have e-mail
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addresses, that would be helpful. I'm not looking to pry,
I just want to be sure. I promise once I'm done it'll all be
shredded."
"You gave your word," Abby said.
"One more question, then I'm done," Paulina said.
"Have you recently seen a man around campus--tall,
blond hair, about ear length? Late thirties or early forties
and well built?"
"Doesn't ring a bell. Sure he's not one of 'your'
friends?" she said pointedly.
"No. He's not."
"I haven't seen anyone like that. Trust me, he'd stand
out on this campus."
"All right then."
Paulina stood up. Abigail did not. Paulina waited to see
if her daughter would, to see if there was any chance at a
last embrace before she left. Abigail was already opening
her page and scrolling through photos. Paulina leaned in
closer. Abby was staring at one of her and Pam, standing
in front of a gushing fountain, holding hands and smiling.
When she noticed her mother was looking, Abigail
covered the screen with her hand.
"I'll scan it and e-mail it to you," Abigail said. "You'll
have it by tomorrow morning."
"Thank you," Paulina said. "You know, Abby, I don't
even have your cell phone number."
Paulina laughed at this. Abby did not. It took a moment,
but Paulina understood why that wasn't quite so funny.
"That's not a surprise," Abigail said, "considering I
hear from you once a year. I figured either you didn't have
my number or you just couldn't find more than five
minutes every twelve months."
"I know I could have done a better job, could have
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been a better friend. Consider this my attempt to make it
up to you."
Abigail considered this for a moment, then said, "Fine."
Paulina took out her cell phone, plugging in the numbers as her daughter spoke them.
"That's it?" Paulina said.
"That's it."
"Thanks, hon, I promise I'll call soon."
"Mom?" Abigail said.
"Yes, Abby?"
Abigail's face looked far more pale than it did when
Paulina first entered. Eyes wider, more fearful. A pang of
guilt ripped through Paulina, knowing her daughter
wouldn't have to deal with any of this if that blond bastard
hadn't needed her to promote his sick agenda. She knew
many more lives were at stake than Abby's...but this was
her daughter.
"That photos set I mentioned," Abby said. "The picture
you mentioned was in that set. It was Pam's favorite
picture. She told me she loved it, and she said she wanted
to keep one just for us."
"Wait," Paulina said. "What are you saying?"
"I never posted that photo online. That guy you're
talking about...somebody else must have given it to him."
14
"Nothing," Jack said, slamming down the phone in
disgust. "I've called his office, his cell phone, his secretary, his publicist, his wife, his alleged mistress, and
nobody will connect me to Brett Kaiser. Please tell me
you have something."
I shook my head, discouraged. "I've spent the entire
morning trying to reach Marissa Hirschtritt and Joel Certilman. Nothing. They won't talk to me, or refer me to
anybody who will. And they said that if anything is
printed about their firm, their official position is 'no
comment.' At least until they sue us for whatever libel
they seem certain we're going to print. That firm is locked
up like a vault. And the worst part